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Repackaging ABC-5 for the nth time
Written by staff   
Monday, 18 August 2008 12:07

The third privately run TV network in the country recently got a makeover, thanks to Christopher Co Sy, chief executive of TV5, the company under the wings of Primemedia Inc. that bought a large chunk of the programming block of the cash-strapped and ratings laggard ABC-5, which former PLDT top gun Tonyboy Cojuangco acquired from Edward U. Tan (requiescat in pace).

The 39-year-old US educated Sy, possibly one of the youngest CEOs in the country, is brilliant (he graduated Magna Cum Laude at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a major in Economics, and earned his MBA at Columbia Business School), has the optimism common to young Filipinos who are willing to crack the solid wall of established businesses, the media included.

While his name may not ring a bell to many in the entertainment industry, Sy’s portfolio includes a stint with EMI Music as a financial analyst when he was still living in New York where he met Alicia Colby whom he would eventually marry. They now have two daughters, Alexa, 8, and Audrey, 3.

Sy was in investment banking before the switch to the recording business.

When Sy came home in 1997, he joined the sales team of Sony Music.

In 2000, he was hired by United International Pictures (the London-based theatrical distribution company of features produced by major Hollywood studios like Universal and Paramount Pictures) as general manager. He remained with the company for three years after which he rejoined EMI as managing director of its Philippine office.

Chris says he is not in competition with the other CEOs and presidents of the two network giants in this country. He adds that he has very high regard for them, and has enormous respect for them.

He wants to concentrate instead on how TV5 can provide fresh and innovative programming to its target audiences. He is happy to be part of a TV channel which he believes will be instrumental in providing a portal for growth especially in the creative community. His objectives for TV5 include making it a platform for many independent producers, talents, and artists to practice and harness their creativity and skills.

Blocktimer

Sy has clarified the issue of ownership of MPB Primemedia Inc., saying it is a Filipino-owned corporation and its relationship with Associated Broadcasting Co. headed by Antonio Cojuangco is merely as a program content provider (similar to GMA Network’s deal with Zoe Television’s Channel 11).

Speculations are rife that Primemedia’s major financial investor is a Malaysian that owns most of the television stations in his country. Sy neither confirms nor denies.

It has been a week now since ABC-5 started broadcasting as TV5. So far, there’s not much buzz on its programs.

It is early to say if Sy’s TV5 would finally shake the two broadcast giants now ensconced comfortably in the nos. 1 and 2 spots. Sy says he’s not going to settle for the third spot. His vision is for TV5 to be the second most popular station in the country.

Well, it took 16 years for GMA Network Inc. to wrestle the top spot (in Mega Manila) from ABS-CBN (which still claims the top spot nationwide).

We’ll give Sy time to accomplish that. But 25 years may be too long for us to wait.

In the meantime, the audience is still polarized between being Kapamilya or Kapuso. How do we call the TV5 loyalists, if there are any? Ka… Kakaiba!

Boost for aid to cerebral palsy

Buhay Party-list Rep. Irwin Tieng recently visited the Philippine Cerebral Palsy Center, a non-stock, non-profit foundation dedicated to the treatment and alleviation of cerebral palsy in the country.

Tieng seems to have a soft spot for individuals with physical and mental disability. In fact, he sponsored a bill increasing the additional exemption for taxpayers with dependents incapable of self-support because of physical or mental disability. The young congressman donated a water purifier to the center, so the students can have safe water every day.

Pharex and GMA Kapuso Foundation

In celebration of it’s 20th anniversary of providing high-quality and affordable medicines to Filipinos, Pharex HealthCorp has tied up with the GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc. for a special medical mission to Dagupan City. Under the agreement, Pharex will be providing medicines   for the one-day mission called “Kalusugan Karavan,” which seeks to attend to the health needs of some 2,000 beneficiaries from the most underserved areas in Dagupan City. Formalizing the partnership were Pharex HealthCorp president Tomas Marcelo Agana III and GMA Kapuso Foundation Inc. executive vice president Mel Tiangco.

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